Sign Languages

[Desinishon]

The first person to use a basic sign language was probably early man. The first to use a more complex sign language to communicate is deaf people. Abbe Charles Michel de L'Epee invented French Sign Language. Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet invented American Sign Language.

No one form of sign language is universal. Different sign languages are used in different countries or regions. For example, British Sign Language (BSL) is a different language from ASL, and Americans who know ASL may not understand BSL. Nicaraguan Sign Language is also one of this.

What do you think about sign language? Do you think humans can keep descovering new languages ( other than sign language) any of you guys know sign language or know someone who knows sign language?xD Share your thoughts \o/

 

[Desert Stream~]

I think one of my old "Associates" knew sign language? I kinda wanna learn it

 

[BlazingCobaltX]

Since nonverbal communication (pointing, making gestures) came before speech, it is only natural people would go for talking with their hands and making use of shared ground if speech is not possible or sufficient - it's why we still use gestures even though we have language complex enough to describe anything gestures can... Or can it?

I've had some theory on communication and language for some child development courses and it was so fascinating to learn about the construction of grammar and why gestures are so significant even with how complex language is today. Sign language is as much of a language as spoken ones because it has a complete grammar system, and the fact that every sign language (for instance Nicaraguan) developed a grammar system from arbitrary gestures is so cool. Just like with speech, we seek to make a system that makes us able to tell things set in a time and location different from ours, and we do just so. Language, especially sign language, is fascinating.

I think more sign languages will develop, at least as much spoken languages we have currently. As long as deaf/Deaf people come together and need to communicate, sign languages will continue to be born as easily as dialects. I want to learn Dutch Sign Language myself someday because I see the importance of being able to communicate with deaf/HoH people, even if we could communicate by writing instead. It's about accessibility and inclusion, and if I can improve the inclusion of deaf/HoH people in society, I will try to do so. I see it as no different than having wheelchair accessibility everywhere; to include and accept people into society the way they are, without having to change themselves to you.

Sorry, I got very fired up about this haha. We had a Deaf lecturer last year and her lectures about identity, inclusion and her own experiences as a Deaf person in society really opened my world to this topic. I think this awareness is one of the best things university has brought me so far.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the origins of communication, I recommend Michael Tomasello's Origins of Human Communication. It's an easy-to-read and very fun book, though it follows the theory that nonverbal communication was the predecessor to speech and is, on its own, sufficient for communication. I personally see logic in this viewpoint.

 

[pastelspectre]

i know sign language. i've known it since i was a baby, and its technically my first language since i learned it before English. it just comes naturally to me. i hate people that stare at me when i sign in public. >-> like damn we know you think its weird, dont stare.

ive been told by friends its hard to learn but i honestly cant relate seeing as i learned it when i was younger lol. oh well. i just hope other people will want to learn sign language. it's an awesome language.

 

[Desinishon]

Since nonverbal communication (pointing, making gestures) came before speech, it is only natural people would go for talking with their hands and making use of shared ground if speech is not possible or sufficient - it's why we still use gestures even though we have language complex enough to describe anything gestures can... Or can it?

I've had some theory on communication and language for some child development courses and it was so fascinating to learn about the construction of grammar and why gestures are so significant even with how complex language is today. Sign language is as much of a language as spoken ones because it has a complete grammar system, and the fact that every sign language (for instance Nicaraguan) developed a grammar system from arbitrary gestures is so cool. Just like with speech, we seek to make a system that makes us able to tell things set in a time and location different from ours, and we do just so. Language, especially sign language, is fascinating.

I think more sign languages will develop, at least as much spoken languages we have currently. As long as deaf/Deaf people come together and need to communicate, sign languages will continue to be born as easily as dialects. I want to learn Dutch Sign Language myself someday because I see the importance of being able to communicate with deaf/HoH people, even if we could communicate by writing instead. It's about accessibility and inclusion, and if I can improve the inclusion of deaf/HoH people in society, I will try to do so. I see it as no different than having wheelchair accessibility everywhere; to include and accept people into society the way they are, without having to change themselves to you.

Sorry, I got very fired up about this haha. We had a Deaf lecturer last year and her lectures about identity, inclusion and her own experiences as a Deaf person in society really opened my world to this topic. I think this awareness is one of the best things university has brought me so far.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the origins of communication, I recommend Michael Tomasello's Origins of Human Communication. It's an easy-to-read and very fun book, though it follows the theory that nonverbal communication was the predecessor to speech and is, on its own, sufficient for communication. I personally see logic in this viewpoint.

OK that's totally cool c: I get fired up to while talking about my field of interest c:
O: you want to learn Dutch sign language? Which kind of of sign language they use? Is it ASL?

i know sign language. i've known it since i was a baby, and its technically my first language since i learned it before English. it just comes naturally to me. i hate people that stare at me when i sign in public. >-> like damn we know you think its weird, dont stare.

ive been told by friends its hard to learn but i honestly cant relate seeing as i learned it when i was younger lol. oh well. i just hope other people will want to learn sign language. it's an awesome language.

Since you was baby AWESOME c: I don't know many people who knows sign language but few of them who knows says it's really hard. If you find it easy then you definitely are good with it c: I think you can learn other sign language fast if already know one, right?

 

[pastelspectre]

for any other version of sign language besides american i'd probably find it extremely difficult, since i've only ever learned american sign language and not any other international versions of sign language.

 

[tokyodrift]

When my mom was a college student, I used to go with her to her sign language class. It was pretty exciting and they even let me participate. I learned a lot just from going with her. I still know some, but most of it I've forgotten over the years, unfortunate really, since I think it's quite handy skill especially working this the public like I do. Would I like to re-learn it? Yeah, it'd be something I'd like to do int he future.

 

[BlazingCobaltX]

OK that's totally cool c: I get fired up to while talking about my field of interest c:
O: you want to learn Dutch sign language? Which kind of of sign language they use? Is it ASL?

Dutch Sign Language, or NGT, is completely different from ASL. I don't think there even is a universal sign language yet.

 

[Desinishon]

Yup! There isn't any universal sign language. They're different for different countries c: But there will be one someday, we can only hope 6.6